Agenda reports pack PDF 347 KB - Meetings, agendas, and minutes

considered, it is mainly those most disadvantaged who will be hit hardest. Further
many of the welfare reforms hit particular individuals or families repeatedly,
particularly those with disabilities or who are carers.
3.4 The sub-group have covered a number of topics, and these are summarised below.
Council Tax Benefit (now Council Tax Support)
3.5 The City Council is protecting the current level of Council Tax Benefit received by
residents in the City. Locally, Dudley and Solihull, for example, will be doing the
same. However, this is not the case in all local authorities, as 75% (including many
of the Warwickshire District and Borough Councils) will be passing on some
proportion of the cuts to residents. There will be changes to the back office
processes for Council staff but constituents will not notice any change. This scheme
is now in place and implemented for 2013/14.
‘Bedroom tax’
3.6 This only affects working age people in social housing. Pensioners are exempt and
they will not face any reductions in benefit in relation to the number of bedrooms in
their properties.
3.7 Across Coventry as a whole, there are 2556 customers who will lose £12.92 per
week and 624 people who will lose £22.61 from the benefits. Whitefriars, who have
taken part in many of the Sub-groups meetings have written to, and visited, all of
their 2400 tenants who are affected.
3.8 Following a concerted campaign by groups supporting children in care the
Government has recently changed policy;
3.8.1 Approved foster carers will be allowed a maximum of one additional room
(irrespective of the number of foster children), whether or not a child has been
placed with them or they are between placements. To qualify for this they must
have fostered a child, or become an approved foster carer in the last 12 months.
3.8.2 Adults who are in the armed forces but who continue to live with parents will be
treated as continuing to live at home, even when deployed on operations. This
means that the size criteria rules will not be applied to the room normally occupied
by the member of the armed forces if they intend to return home.
3.8.3 Where a room is required for a non resident carer an additional room will be used in
the assessment of Housing Benefit. Details should be provided to the Benefits
Service in order for this to be considered.
3.8.4 An additional room will also be allowed for children who are unable to share
because of their severe disabilities. Medical evidence of the disability will be
required by the Benefits Service, as will evidence that the nature and frequency of
care required during the night would be significantly disruptive to the sleep of the
child who would normally be required to share the bedroom.
3.9 Only pensioners, shared owners and those in supported (exempt) accommodation
are exempt. In all other in all other situations will be looked at on a case by case
basis and, e.g. may have 2 spare bedrooms and have a circumstance that allows
them to have 1 spare bedroom but not 2. This means that their housing benefit will
still be reduced by the amount for 1 spare bedroom (14%).
3.10 There are a number of scenarios in which people will be considered as under–
occupying. For example, if a couple need to sleep in separate bedrooms for
medical reasons, perhaps the use of an oxygen machine or to enable the carer
respite, these circumstances are not accounted for when looking at under
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